Fading Stars
by Little Fox Kit
Summary: Naruto is fatally injured by the shinobi of his village. hey, it was my 19 bday yesterday and as a gift, a new chappie!
1. Default Chapter

Ohayo, minna-san. I know I haven't update my other story, but I just can't seem to get past this roadblock. I think I've deleted at least 10 pages already. This idea popped into my head and I had to get it down. I think im more suited to one shots. Sigh. Lemme know how it goes k?

'The stars were bright tonight' he thought. He chuckled inwardly. What a dumb thing to think at a time like this. Still, if not now then when? It's odd how you never take the time to appreciate the simple things in life and yet when they're gone, you wonder how you could not have noticed something so significant. He smirked, wondering if anyone would think the same of him. Judging from the people who beat him up this way, not likely. He was tired of life. Tired of hiding, tired of smiling and tired of _living_. He wanted to see his family. Tou-san and Kaa-san. A three dimensional carving of his father's face was good for only so long. After a while, it only served to remind him of what he didn't have.

When he walked by the alley by his house after sensing the malicious chakras there, he did so with a purpose. No longer would he live off another's strength. For that's exactly what he was doing; living off the fox. And he hated it. So when the chuunins had foolishly gone against his jounin skills, he failed to fight them off. And when they tortured him with searing hot kunais and dull shurikens, he failed to make a noise, to even twitch. He had experienced far worse in his dreams with the fox. When that failed to get a reaction out of him and they resorted to mental torture, he laughed. His mind was already broken, what more could they do? And it really wasn't that hard to block out the demon fox's healing chakra. It was _his_ body after all and his mind.

Was it just him, or were the stars going out? Come to think of it, it was getting chilly. He should probably head in soon….or not. He liked it up here. It was an appropriate place to let go, on top of the Yondaime's head. His father. He was shocked when he found out. Pleased that he wasn't abandoned yet saddened because of why he was alone. He stiffened suddenly, hearing the light footsteps that could be made only by a ninja. Chuunin level by the sounds of it, medium height and a fit body. He tried to move away from the sound quietly, he really did. But his vision was blurring and his body felt like lead. He stumbled and fell back to the ground as he half-rose to move. The footsteps paused.

"Hello?" he froze, recognizing the voice. He frantically checked his chakra signature as he heard the voice call out again. "Is anyone there?" he was safe. Or he would have been if the Kyubi hadn't suddenly forcefully shoved chakra into him past the seal. His chakra flared like a mini-sun for less than a tenth of a second. But it was enough to warn the nearby brunette that someone was near him. And who it was even if the person wasn't visible.

"Naruto? What are you doing out here? I thought you'd be long sleeping already." The chuunin was surprised. He thought he was the only one to visit the Yondaime on restless nights. The jounin couldn't answer. Why wasn't his body responding! Surely he had enough strength to move two feet. The man drew closer. _Please don't let Iruka-sensei see me like this._ _Not him._ Suddenly, his body relaxed. Of course, his plans would go awry. He was the fox demon and fate was against him. _Good thing Neji's not here_. A harsh gasp was heard as the chuunin came within sight of the injured nin. As his eyes closed and his body relaxed, he heard a shuffling of clothe and a pair of brown, pain-filled eyes.

"Aishiteru….tou-san. Gomen." He closed his eyes…and fell away.


	2. Iruka

He couldn't believe it. His student was dead. His persecuters justly dealt with. He stared unseeing at the memorial picture. He had been unable to sleep _that_ night and so had gone to the Hokage monument as was his tradition on such nights. Never did he expect to find Naruto there much less a dying one. He had tried to take him to Tsunade-sama. But when he got there, he was too late. Naruto was gone. He didn't remember much after that but from what he was told, he had gone into emotional shock not eating for days. His fellow teachers had tried to cheer him up, one even commenting that it was nothing to get worked up over. It was only the demon-fox. Iruka had had to be pried off the other man by Kakashi and two ANBU before he would let go. The other man had had to spend eight hours in the operating room. None of his peers had approached him after that. He locked himself in his bedroom. Team 7 had visited with Sakura in tears, Kakashi-sensei without his little orange book and Sasuke looking like he hadn't slept in three weeks. He turned them away. He simply couldn't believe that his Naruto was gone. It was three days after his attack on his fellow teacher and he was the last one left in the clearing. The Rookie Nine having left long ago. He approached the head stone, gently touching the written word. _HERO_. A tear tracked its way down his cheek as he remembered.

'_Aishiteru….tou-san."_

Naruto's birthday was in a month. The adoption papers lovingly signed and gently wrapped up along with two-weeks of free ramen passes. He doubted if he'd ever open the drawer he had hidden them in. He had planned to take him out for ramen and surprise him. Now he'd never get the chance. If he'd known how bad it had gotten, he would have done something but now it was too late. Now, there was nothing anybody could do. He turned and walked away.

Does it count if I made myself cry writing this? I wrote both these chapters at the same time. It is now 12 am. Or 00:00 for those of you who run on the 24 hour clock. Its taken me an hour. I think I deleted a page all told of stuff I had written. I just couldn't get the actions right. I hope I didn't make iruka-sensei too emotional. Oh well. This is how I see it. Arigatou for reading. Ttyl.


	3. Sasuke

LIZ- thanks personally though, I didn't think it was that great.

TOKI MIRAGE- hey thanks! That's awesome. I loved reading your review

RANMA HIBIKI- I cried too. P.s you like ranma too? Isn't it the funniest!

SHADOW-SENSEI- lol. I find it really funny that you were in school when reading this. Way to go! Lol.

KILLERDOODLEBUG- -.- wheres my cookie! I want my cookie! COOKIE! Im a little more happy with this chapter I think. Not as many raw emotions but the grammar and conveying of said emotions I think is much better. Lemme know what you think. Ja ne

Ok so im writing this at 1 am.im tired now. (weird how I get my inspiration only at night….oh well) ill see you all next chapter. …if there is one. Btw, Cerulean Blue is kicking my ass. I have about ten pages written for ch. 5. and I hate it. It really really sucks. So im thinking of rewriting it and rearranging some events ive thought of.. but I really am trying to update it! I swear on my kakashi t-shirt! (I have one. Its awesome. Its says 'the things you learn from books' with a pic of chibi-kaka reading icha icha with his sharingan uncovered)

He stared blankly at the scene before him, anger consuming his body. When they told him that Naruto was the container for the Kyubi, he had demolished a training area in frustration. He'd been hurt that Naruto had never trusted him enough to tell him. He had found out by accident that it had been three Jounins who had killed his rival, overhearing the Hokage and the toad sennin Jiraiya talking about tracking down the culprits. Little did he know that the two had known he was there and had purposefully listed the names of the guilty. They knew he would go after them and they knew he'd do it quietly. It gave them an odd sense of satisfaction from their painful deaths. Naruto was like a son the two sennins.

He had never gone to the funeral, choosing to train instead. Trying to work off his emotions. Anger at the Jounins, anger at himself for letting this happen, but most of all, anguish at no longer having the blonde by his side anymore. His tears blurred the scrawled vandalism that had been sprayed over the words lovingly carved as he sank to his knees. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. He was alone. Always alone. He had to get out of there. He couldn't stand looking at _that_ name carved in grey. Just like everybody else's. He turned and ran back to his house, his room. He passed Kakashi sparring against Iruka with the brunette winning, emotion clearly finally getting a hold of the usually quiet teacher. He passed Sakura sitting in the ramen stand, aimlessly stirring her bowl. Most of rookie nine was on the hill, quiet. Reaching his house, he threw the door open and bolted to his room, racing to the attached bathroom. His raw emotion overwhelming him as he threw up in the toilet. Shaking, he gently sat back and leaned his forehead against the cool ceramic lip of the bowl. A tear slipped down his cheek, followed by another. And another. Until he was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Dobe." He rasped, throat raw from his sobs. "How could you leave me? I never even got a chance!" he punched the floor. He slowly stood, wobbly on his feet. Making his way over to his bed, he collapsed onto the cotton sheets, sinking into the welcoming warmth. He burrowed his way under the blankets and curled up. His heart hurt. Was this normal? Was it supposed to hurt this much when your rival died? He clutched his shirt above the left side of his chest. If asked later, he would swear to you that as he drifted off into the deep of sleep, he heard _him_ laugh gently.


End file.
